


Only The Best of Us

by Madifishy



Series: The Space Boys [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Advice, Alternate Universe - Swimming, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Awkward Crush, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Bickering, Bonding, Confusion, Crushes, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Dorks, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, Future, Gay, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gay Lance (Voltron), Gay Male Character, Injury, Jealousy, Locker Room, M/M, Male Bonding, Male Friendship, Male Homosexuality, Male Protagonist, Male-Female Friendship, Outer Space, Past Relationship(s), Relationship Advice, Relationship(s), Secrets, Showers, Swimming, Swimming Boys, Swimming Pools, Team, Team Bonding, Teasing, Technology, Wrestling, quiznak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2019-01-10 22:05:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12308766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madifishy/pseuds/Madifishy
Summary: Pidge enlists the help of Lance and Keith while repairing part of the wiring in the ship, and helping turns into an impromptu competition about who is the better helper. It is during this time that Lance comes to recognize his new feelings for one paladin in particular.





	1. A Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are much appreciated, thank you for reading and supporting my work!

Pidge hauled the heavy metal toolbox down the hall, relieved when she was able to let it go and allow it to thud onto the floor, sending an echo reverberating off of the walls of the ship's hallways. Lance jumped at sudden noise, and Keith snickered. Lance spun around to face Keith, straightening up and putting on his best 'I'm mad at you' face. Keith just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, returning to his default expression: bored. Not that his expression wasn't justified in this situation. Nobody ever wanted to be called upon by Pidge to work on ship repairs. It was extremely tedious and boring work. 

 

Pidge kneeled next to the toolbox, and tapped the top of it with two fingers, causing the top of the box to hover up, a blue light emanating from within the box. The lid hovered in the air, and a line of tools rose up out of the box, hovering in a straight column below the lid. Pidge couldn't help but to grin like a dork. Altean technology had fascinated her from the moment she first saw it and even little things like this Altean toolbox still sent her mind aflutter with all the ideas of new things that could be constructed with access to this high level of tech. 

 

Keith abruptly cleared his throat, startling Pidge from her thoughts. "Are we going to get to work?" Keith inquired. "Uh yeah, I'll get to it", Pidge responded, snatching a screwdriver and beginning on unscrewing a screw holding a large metal plate to the wall. Once that screw was out, Pidge hurriedly shoved the screw into her deep pockets and started on the next screw, repeating the process until all four screw had been removed, and the metal plate was free. Pidge carefully lowered the plate to the ground and pushed it aside, leaning it on the wall. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned forward, her upper body vanishing into the wall as she began to tamper with the wiring of the inner ship. 

 

Lance and Keith stood awkwardly behind her, not speaking to one another as they waited for Pidge to instruct them to do something. The silence hung in the air like a humid blanket, making each of the boys sweat and fidget, as though the silence were strangling them. "So. . .how's the red lion?" Lance asked, breaking the silence. "She's alright, I guess", Keith responded bluntly, shrugging. 

 

"Can one of you hand me that bullnose plane?" Pidge shouted, still halfway into the hole in the wall of the ship. Lance and Keith looked at all the tools hovering above the toolbox, and exchanged a look. They both had the same thought,  _easier said than done_. 

 

"Press the blue button on the box", Pidge added, "it should display all the tools."

 

Lance leaned down, nonchalantly pressing a slender finger to the blue button protruding from the front of the box. He fell backward onto his rear as several more rows of tools unexpectedly shot up from the box, hovering in the air along with the previous tools. Both the boy's jaws dropped as hundreds of tools emerged rapidly from the toolbox and began to float uniformly above the box. When the box finally stopped releasing tools, there were at least 400 tools hovering in neat rows above the box. "How the _quiznak_ did all of that fit in there?" Lance shouted, more of a perplexed statement than an actual question. Keith didn't answer, just stared in awe at all of the tools. Had all of those tools actually fit inside of that small metal container?

 

"Can you guys hurry it up?" Pidge's voice echoed from within the wall, and both the other paladins snapped out of their shock, but were immediately confronted with a problem: neither of them knew what a bullnose plane was. "It's gotta be this", Lance remarked, snatching a peculiar Altean tool from the column closest to him. He stood up and skipped towards Pidge, leaning into the hole in the wall and handing the other paladin the tool. Pidge raised a brow. "I said I need a bullnose plane. This is a halligan bar."

 

"Oh, right. My bad", Lance responded cooly, though he clearly had no clue that this had been the wrong tool. Keith decided to take a chance, and grabbed a tool from the array of equipment in front of him. It was a handheld device with a flat metal surface on one side, a handle protruding from it, as well as several bulky golden knobs, which he assumed were to adjust the handle. He took a breath and strode to where Pidge was, and leaned into the opening in the wall. "Thanks", Pidge answered as she took the tool, then instantly returned to working on the colourful mess of wires in front of her. Keith emerged from the hole, a grin crossing his face when he saw Lance's annoyed gaze. "How'd you know that was the right one? There's hundreds of pieces of this junk!" Lance shouted, gesturing to all the equipment. "Guess I'm smarter than you are, Lance", Keith answered. The look on Lance's face radiated nothing but raw irritation and offense. " _You_ are not smarter than me!" Lance cried, taking an angry step towards Keith. Keith's smirk just got larger. 

 

"Guys, I need a lenker rod", Pidge called out. Keith and Lance met each other's eyes. " _It's on._ " Lance whispered.

 

Both paladins bolted to the floating mass of tools and their eyes began rapidly scanning for anything that might fit what Pidge had asked for. After several failed attempts of bringing Pidge the right tool ("No I need a lenker rod.","This isn't what I need, Keith.","Lance, these are pliers."), Pidge finally took a tool that resembled measuring tape from Lance's hand, and she responded that this was the right piece of gear. Lance emerged happily from the opening in the wall, throwing both hands up in the air in a show of victory. "I told you that you aren't smarter than me!", he yelled, pointing an outstretched finger at Keith. Keith clenched his fists. "You are not smarter than me!" Keith shouted back, taking several angry steps toward Lance, shoving him. When Keith's hands shoved Lance's chest, Lance stumbled backward, eyes wide. His eyes narrowed as he regained his balance, and he charged forward, shoving Keith back. Keith dodged the other boy, ducking down and out of the way. Lance, having expected to have been stabilized when his palms forced themselves into Keith's chest, tumbled to the ground, landing on his hands on knees.

 

Lance heard snarky laughter, and he looked over his shoulder, glaring at Keith, who was chuckling and beaming wildly. Lance leaped across the hallway and caught Keith's legs, causing Keith to lose his balance, and plummet to the cold, corrugated floor. The boys struggled on the floor, wrestling with each other. Keith's fist caught Lance in the stomach, Lance's foot collided with Keith's groin, someone grabbed a fistful of hair, somebody shreiked. It was a mess. 

 

After several minutes of quarreling on the floor, both the boy's foreheads met, their bodies tangled awkwardly together, however, they both managed to sit in an upright position. Their chests heaved heavily with their breathing, exhausted from their squabble. Sweat gleamed on Lance's forehead. Keith's fist was red from having collided roughly with the floor at some point. Both their eyes were narrowed with frustration, and their muscles were tense. Keith clenched his teeth and jutted his jaw forward defiantly. Lance couldn't help but recognize how sharp his jawline was. He silently scolded himself for allowing his thoughts to drift to Keith's jawline, but he found himself using this moment to realize some of the other striking features the red paladin had. Keith's dark eyes were actually quiet stunning, the way they seemed to absorb most of the light in the room, making them look almost bright, despite their deep colour. The muscles in Keith's arms were toned, and, in this compromising position and in such close proximity, Lance could see that Keith's stomach muscles were also toned, something visible through the boy's tight shirt.

 

Lance tumbled backward as Keith's foot collided with his stomach. He landed flat on his back, the wind knocked out of him. He stared at the ceiling, dizzy. Keith returned to his feet, standing over Lance. He crouched down, his face mere inches from the other boy's. "You are  _not_ better than me. Don't you  _ever_ forget it", Keith seethed. He then stood upright and strode down the hallway angrily, his fists clenched before disappearing around a corner. Lance laid on the ground, struggling to comprehend what had just occurred. What were these feelings? Why was he noticing such minute details about Keith?

 

_Was he attracted to the other paladin?_


	2. A Little Advice Never Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance isn't sure how to cope with these new feelings, and decides to go to the person he knows he can confide in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allura's room hasn't been shown in the show, so I kind of just described it as how I feel it should look :)
> 
> Comments and kudos are always super appreciated! Thank you so much for reading and supporting my work!

Lance lay in his bed, listening to the dull hum of the ship. His room felt uncomfortable and foreign, despite him having been living here for months. Though he was resting, his eyes were open, focused on the low ceiling above where he lay motionlessly. His room was dark, with the exception of the dim blue lights that radiated from most of the ship. He always pondered what was with this obsession Alteans had with blue lights was all about, but he tried not to think too much into it. Besides, his mind was currently trained on other, more pressing thoughts.

 

Such as his earlier thoughts about Keith. It was unlike him to take in such minor features of his team. Sure, he noticed the major things (Shiro's hair floof, Pidge's short height, etc.), but never once had he ever pondered on such small details of the appearance of another member of his team. The way his eyes had been drawn to the sharp, jutting edges of Keith's face, and the perfect curvature of his shoulders. . .it wasn't like him. Lance wasn't the type to over-analyze things, but this was something that really had the gears in his head churning.

 

He sighed, rolling over to face the wall, shifting his legs under the covers to get comfortable. His original plan had been to take a nap and get some rest, but it was becoming increasingly clearer to him that the likeliness of him sleeping was slim to none. He closed his eyes, and willed himself to force all these bothersome thoughts out of his mind. It worked, at first. But just as soon as they had gone, the memories of how he had looked at Keith earlier returned. Lance groaned in frustration and yanked his pillow out from under his head, covering his face with it. He let his arms flop limply to his sides, and he let out an exasperated sigh.

 

Had he felt a tingly sensation in his stomach just now? What was that, hunger? No, it couldn't be, hunger felt different than this. He forced himself to lay completely still as he noted this strange sensation in his abdomen. Were these  _butterflies in his stomach_? From thinking about Keith? Lance threw the pillow off of his face, and it hit the wall and slid to the floor of the ship, slumping forward until it lay flat. Lance shook his head. Why was he getting butterflies in his stomach? This was a whole new sensation, one that he had not previously experienced before, and he wasn't sure how to comprehend it. 

 

He had to do something about this. He had to talk to someone.

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

Lance raised a hand to knock on the large metal double doors, and was surprised when they silently slid open before his knuckles could connect with the door. He took a deep breath, and slowly walked into the room. 

 

Allura's room was larger than his, with a large circular bed planted atop a pedastal in the center of the room. There were a small set of steps leading up to the bed, each of which was illuminated by a dull blue glow.  _Alteans._

 

He glanced around the room, taking in the decor. His room was incredibly bare, and to see a furnished Altean room was quite a change. There was a large cube-looking sofa to the left, with a hovering side table at each end. Flowers spiraled out of beautifully coloured purple vaces on each side table. A small lounge chair sat diagonal to the sofa, with a cylindrical shaped ottoman in front of it. To the other side of the room, there were towering white bookshelves that reached all the way to the ceiling, filled with books from all different eras. Some had broken spines, some looked brand new, some were hardcover, some were paperback. There were scrolls, comics, encyclopedias, novels, reference books, textbooks; you name it. To the right of where he had just entered was what looked to be a fountain, but a mirror sat in front of it, which led him to believe that this was a wash basin of sorts. His nose picked up a subtle, pleasant smell, though he was unable to pinpoint exactly what the soothing aroma was.

 

"Lance, hello", Allura's soothing voice called out, grasping his attention, "I didn't expect you to come waltzing into my chambers, but it's quite a pleasant surprise." She smiled, a warm inviting smile. Her eyes seemed to smile along with her lips, and Lance felt all his nervousness about deciding to confide in her wash away. Lance beamed back.. "Hey Allura. Mind if I talk to you about something? I need some advice, and I figured you'd be the person who'd be able to help me out."

 

Allura's face lit up instantly. "Oh! Of course! I love to lend a helping hand whenever I find that I am able!" She turned and began walking up the steps to her bed, motioning for Lance to follow. She finished climbing the steps, and sat on the edge of her bed, Lance taking a seat beside her. The bed was extraordinarily cushioned, and he felt himself start to sink into the mattress. "How may I be of assistance?" Allura asked, her eyes bright, and a comforting smile on her full lips.

 

He took a deep breath, then started to speak slowly. "There's this. . .person. And I've been around them for quite a while. You might even say that we're friends. But lately, I've been noticing that I get this strange feeling whenever I see them."

 

Allura cocked her head, a few slim strands of her white hair gliding down over her shoulder. "Strange how?"

 

Lance rubbed the back of his neck. "I get this weird sensation in my stomach. Not nausea, and not a stomachache, but this weird tingling sensation."

 

"Like butterflies in your abdomen?"

 

Lance looked unsure at first, but then nodded in agreement. "Yeah, something like that."

 

"Go on. Tell me more", Allura urged him, leaning towards him, interested to hear more about Lance's strange new feelings.

 

"I noticed that I've been focusing a lot on this person's physical details, and I've been appreciating them a whole lot more, despite the fact that they haven't really changed since the first time I met them."

 

Allura's face lit up, and she sat up straight. "Yes! I've got it! I know what this affliction you're experiencing is!"

 

She paused, and Lance piped up "Well? You gonna tell me what conclusion you've come to, Princess?"

 

"You have found a potential romantic interest! A possible companion?"

 

Lance's neck tugged back, and he shook his head in disbelief. "A  _companion_? You mean like, a  _relationship_ sort of companion?"

 

Allura nodded quickly and excitedly. "Yes! A potential relationship!" She leaped up from the bed, taking Lance's hands in her own. "I am so excited that you have a crush on a potential romantic interest. When do I get to meet the girl that has won over your affections?"

 

Lance felt his heart sink. Allura's words rang through his head, thudding dully off the walls of his skull.  _The girl that has won over your affections._ It wasn't a girl that he had found to be a  _potential companion_ , as Allura had so politely put it. "Soon enough", Lance answered quietly. "Thanks for the help Allura", he called out as he quickly skipped down the stairs and plodded out of the room. As soon as Allura's electric doors glided closed behind him, his brain began racing with thoughts again, but one thought stood out more than the rest.

 

_Did he really have a crush on Keith?_


	3. Stuck in the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance spends a lot of time thinking over his interest in Keith, and decides to ask his friends about their past relationships, trying to get an idea of how to handle the situation without arousing any suspicion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so, I have basically no information on the love lives of those in Voltron, so the stories of their past relationships are clearly made up. Its called fanFICTION for a reason :)
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are always fantastic and oh so very appreciated! Thank you for reading and supporting my work!

Lance paced the large kitchen, the soles of his shoes plodding in a rhythmic pattern across the floor.  _1-2-3-4-5-6-turn. 1-2-3-4-5-6-turn._

 

Hunk was in the other half of the kitchen, a bowl of. . . _something_ , in his hands. He stirred the purple mixture frantically, as it bubbled angrily. The counter was littered with all sorts of cooking ingredients; some of which Lance recognized, others not so much. Hunk had never been the kind to  press others with question. He just kept to himself and tried to enjoy doing his own thing which, in this case, was cooking.

 

Lance stopped pacing when the mechanical door to the kitchen glided open, and Pidge entered the room. She strode across the large silvery room to the fridge. When she opened it, that familiar blue light poured out of the fridge.  _Alteans_.

 

Pidge leaned over, digging through the fridge before retreating from the chilly abyss with an opaque container in hand. She kicked the fridge closed with her foot, then seated herself at a tall chair at the counter. "Whatcha making, Hunk?" she asked, popping the lid off of the container she had just retrieved. She pulled a familiar red fruit out. It looked to be juicy, and had a squishy looking texture. Lance recognized it as watermelon. "You'll have to wait and see", Hunk responded, setting the bowl he had been stirring on the counter. It continued to bubble angrily as Hunk trods over to the tall cabinets and taps one with two fingers. When his fingers connect with the glowing blue surface, it vanishes, granting him access to all of the food contents hidden inside. 

 

Hunk and Pidge continued discussing food, but Lance was lost in his own thoughts, and their words were essentially faint gibberish to him. He couldn't get his mind off of Keith. How was he going to handle this situation? Had his friends ever dealt with something like this? "Have either of you ever been in a relationship before", he blurted out, before he could stop himself. He immediately bit his tongue, but felt his muscles relax a bit when Pidge smiled. "I tried dating once. Wasn't my thing", she shrugged, popping another piece of watermelon into her mouth. With her mouth still full, she spoke, "Hey Hunk? How about you?" 

 

Hunk's face got a little red. "I uh, I've dated a few girls."

 

Pidge's jaw dropped. "A  _few?_ How many is a  _few_?"

 

Hunk's face deepened to a darker shade of red. "Four."

 

"What was it like?", Lance asked, crossing over to the counter and resting his arms on it.

 

"I mean, I was happy each time. Each relationship was nice, and each time, the love was reciprocated. But each time, we just kinda grew apart. And since all of-", he gestured to the ship around him, "-this- I haven't really had any time to think about relationships. Lance turned to Pidge "Why didn't your relationships work out?"

 

Pidge shrugged, swallowing the bit of watermelon that she had been chewing on. "I don't know. I'm just not the lovey dovey type I suppose. Each of the guys I was with were wonderful, really, they were. But I just wasn't good at reciprocating my feelings."

 

"What about Shiro? Has he ever had a girlfriend?"

 

Silence. Pidge and Hunk exchanged a look, and Pidge looked down somewhat solemnly at her bowl of watermelon. Hunk coughed and crossed and uncrossed his legs at the ankles. "What? Did I miss something?" Lance asked, genuine confusion emanating from his voice.

 

Pidge answered after a moment. "He did, once. Back before Voltron. Prior to the Kerberos mission. They were madly in love with each other, and extremely devoted to one another. She was tall and slim, with long white hair. She was beautiful. She always accompanied him to his training routines, and stood watch and kept an eye on him during particularly dangerous training. They were perfect for each other."

 

"So? What happened? Why haven't I heard anything about Ms. Perfect?"

 

Pidge continued. "When the Kerberos mission was declared a failure, and it was concluded that the ship had gone missing or had been destroyed, she was devastated. She locked herself in her home for a long time. She refused to eat or sleep, and wouldn't speak to anyone. So heartbroken that she ran away from home. Never contacted her family or her friends ever again. Nobody has heard from her since. We don't really know what happened to her."

 

"Oh", Lance answered, feeling a bit of sorrow creep into his throught, tightening around his windpipe like a constrictor. As his throat got tight, his eyes began to tear up, and he shook his head. He wouldn't let himself get emotional over his friend's ex-girlfriend, even if the story really did tug at his heartstrings. "What about Keith?", Lance asked, desperate to change the subject to something a little happier. 

 

Hunk chuckled. "Keith? I don't think Keith is capable of showing love. He hates everything."

 

"You're not wrong", Pidge responded, peering into her bowl, looking dissatisfied to find the bowl empty. 

 

"I'm serious. Has he ever been in a relationship?" Lance questioned.

 

Hunk shrugged. "Who knows. But my guess is probably not."

 

Lance's mind began to run with this new bit of information. Either Keith had been in a relationship that he had kept a secret, or he had never been in one at all.  _Quiznak._


	4. With a Mind Like That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance does some thinking and tries to get his feelings together. Keith makes a surprise appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for being patient with me. I'm not the best at updating stories in a timely manner (something I'm working on doing better)! I know this chapter is a little short, but I needed to set a chapter aside to get Keith into the picture and give him a chapter to show how he's been feeling. 
> 
> Your comments and kudos never cease to warm my heart; thank you for reading and supporting my work!

Lance lay across his chair in the main control room, sprawled out comfortably. His head dangled over one armrest, and his knees bent over the armrest parallel, his feet swinging back and forth lazily. He was still in uniform after their training earlier, and hadn't bothered to change (not to mention the fact that he knew he looked good in it). His position with his head arched over the armrest made the world appear upside down; not that it made a difference. Lance was mostly just watching the stars, something he use to do back on earth in his free time. Nowadays, he never got much time to appreciate the universe, and he usually bore witness to the evil of it all. But now, as he lounged around and did some star gazing, he was able to recall how wonderful it felt to stop and enjoy the small things.

 

Coran had said something about how sometimes stars were suns, other times they were planets, and at times they were even other spacecrafts, soaring through galaxies, on a mission to reach a destination. Lance liked to think outside of the box, imagine that some stars might be something else altogether. On earth, there were people who speculated that when people of legend died, that their soul would become a star. When Lance had first heard the idea, he had laughed it off. But sometimes he thought back on it and it really made him wonder.

 

Everything seemed to make him wonder. Like how no matter how hard he tried to keep his mind off of Keith, his mind somehow always managed to crawl its way back to the thoughts of the red paladin. Lance had spent a majority of the past week distancing himself from Keith. The less he saw him, the less feelings he had for him, right? 

 

Though it had seemed like a solid plan at the time, Lance had started to understand that distancing himself from the other paladin had only caused his desire to see him and be with him to grow. When he closed his eyes, he could envision Keith's silvery, grey eyes. He could see his long strands of shaggy, dark hair. He could see him in his mind, but the thing that was missing was the sense of presence. 

 

Lance sighed and stretched, his whole body going stiff as he stretched his arms and legs out, before relaxing again. He sighed; he had to figure out what to do, and soon. He couldn't deal with these feelings for too much longer.

 

As if on queue, the doors to the control room slid open, gliding silently. Lance turned his head to see who had entered, and watched, upside-down, as Keith crossed the room to him. Keith stopped only a foot or so short of Lance's face, and Lance had to crane his neck to look up at him. They stood in silence for a bit, before Lance coughed awkwardly and broke the silence. "Uh, need something?"

 

Keith shrugged and seated himself on the steps just in front of Lance's seat. "Got tired of being alone", he responded dully, resting his chin on one of his knees and closing his eyes.

 

Lance practically snorted. " _You_? Tired of being alone? You're joking, right?"

 

"No, I'm serious", Keith responded calmly, opening his eyes, gazing at the empty space in front of him. He appeared to be staring at nothing; perhaps he was thinking about something? Keith turned to look at Lance over his shoulder, his brow furrowed with concern. "Do you not want me to be here? I can go-"

 

"No, dont go", Lance practically shouted. He bit his tongue and silently cursed himself for being so eager to ask Keith to stay. How was he suppose to keep his feelings for Keith to himself when he leaped at any and every chance to spend time with him?

 

"Okay." Keith turned back around, crossing his arms and resting them on his knees, then setting his chin on top of his arms. Lance couldn't help but notice that this wasn't one of Keith's typical 'confident' poses. Keith was the one who always looked defiant and confident in himself. Whether he had a hand on his hip or his arms crossed over his chest with his chin tilted up, he always had to let people know that he didn't care what they thought. But right now, Keith looked small and, well, vulnerable. 

 

"Something on your mind?" Lance questioned.

 

Keith sighed and nodded. "Just a whole lot of unimportant stuff."

 

"It can't be that unimportant if you're thinking about it a lot."

 

Keith shrugged. "Well, yeah, I guess."

 

"Have you ever been in a relationship, Keith?"

 

Keith's body went eerily still. His breathing paused, and he didn't blink. He turned his head and stared at Lance over his shoulder. "Why?"

 

Lance's palms grew suddenly clammy. He felt sweat instantly spring to his skin and he felt abnormally cold. "I, uh-"

 

Keith stared at him, unblinking, waiting for an answer. "-I. . .I don't know. Just wondering, I guess."

 

Keith's expression returned to normal, and his neck turned back so he could continue gazing out of the front windows of the ship. "It's none of your  _quiznaking_ business."

 

Lance felt his heart stop. Did Keith just tell him to (essentially) buzz off? Lance felt his mouth open, but it closed, sealing shut whatever words his brain had been preparing itself to make known. Lance cleared his throat and shifted in his chair, which suddenly felt cramped and uncomfortable.

 

He stole another glance at Keith and saw something that he had only seen a handful of times before: Keith was smiling. A playful smile. "Relationships have never really been of much interest to me until. . .", Keith's sentence trailed off, and he slowly stood and stretched, letting out a long yawn. 

 

"Until when?", Lance prompted him, sitting up in his chair, trying to act less interested than he truly was. Keith chuckled, turning and heading to the door, taking his time to get there. He chuckled. The door to the rest of the ship glided open ever silently. "Wouldn't you  _love_ to know", Keith said softly, exiting the room. The doors silently shut behind him, but his words hung in the air like a dense cloud, tormenting Lance.

 

_'Wouldn't you love to know'_.


	5. Water Can Tell Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance decides to take a dip in the castle pool to calm his racing thoughts. Keith decides to join him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for the colossal delay in updates. I'm glad to finally be posting another chapter, and I hope you all enjoy it.

Lance strode into the pool room lazily when the doors before him glided open effortlessly. The pool room was cooler than the other rooms in the castle, and the cool air sent a chill through his body, forcing prickly goosebumps onto his tan skin. He walked up to the pool's edge, his toes hanging precariously over the water just inches below. He glanced down, and was able to see the tiled pool floor beneath the clear water. He was almost in awe over how clear the water was. It was unlike any of the water he'd seen on any other planet. 

 

He removed his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the immaculate tile floor. The tile was white, and his dark shirt stood out like a black sheep. He grabbed the handrail that led down into the pool, surprised at how comfortably warm it was. In most instances, any unnaturally warm object would be unsettling, but somehow this wasn't. It was comforting, in a sense. Everything on this Altean ship felt like it was comforting. The Alteans must have had a way of making unnatural things (like heated handrails) seem natural. 

 

Lance closed his eyes and stepped down into the water, feeling the smooth stair under the sole of his foot as he allowed himself to step into the crystal clear water. The water wasn't lukewarm, but it was a comfortable temperature. He proceeded into the water until the water reached his shoulders and lapped at the soft skin of his neck. He opened his eyes, leaning his head back and wetting his hair. He hummed in content as he felt the soothing water soak into his dry hair. He swam around for a bit, just taking in the relaxing aura that the pool gave off. He noticed that there were lights around the edges of the inside of the pool that emitted a dim, blue glow. _Alteans_. He closed his eyes, shifting so that he was on his back, allowing his body to float gently on the surface. He let his breathing slow, and he forced his mind to quiet itself.

 

When he opened his eyes again, it was because he had heard a noise. He froze, afraid to move. 

 

"Mind if I join you?"

 

_Keith_.  _Keith was in the room_. 

 

Lance sat up abruptly, sinking into the water up to his shoulders again. "I- uh, sure, I mean, why not?"

 

Keith shot him what might have been interpreted as a slight smile (if you could even call it that), then he began to remove his shirt. He did it so slowly, Lance felt like he was being teased. Though he tried to avoid looking, his eye's wandered to Keith's stomach, which was toned from all his training. But not  _too_ toned. Just the right amount of muscle. He was thin, which made his hip bones  _wonderfully_ prominent. Lance couldn't help but take note of the dip in Keith's lower back as Keith turned around to place his shirt on a nearby chair. Keith took the time to fold his shirt and set it down, something that made Lance a little embarrassed of his own shirt, which lay in a rumpled heap on the floor. 

 

When Keith turned back around, his eyes met Lance's, before quickly looking away. Keith walked up to the water's edge and took two steps into the pool before he sat down on the first step, leaving only his bottom half submerged. Lance watched as the water lapped at his stomach, watched the way it moved around the muscles there. . .

 

Lance shook his head. He was staring. He couldn't stare. Keith would notice. Instead, Lance swam over to his friend, hauling himself out of the deeper water and seating himself on the first step, beside Keith. He looked down at his knees, not wanting to catch Keith's gaze. They sat in silence for a long time, just enjoying each other's presence. All of them, the paladins, had bonded so much over the past months. Not only were they practically inseparable, but they could have entire conversations while sitting in complete silence. The quiet was enveloping, but in a soothing way. 

 

"You look more approachable with wet hair. Which is saying a lot, because from the way you look, I don't know why anyone in their right mind would approach you."

 

Lance's head shot up and he looked to Keith, whose lips were turned up into a smile, his teeth peering through his curved lips. Lance made a jokingly offended sound. "Was that suppose to be a compliment or an insult?"

 

Keith shrugged. "Take it however you want. It's up to you whether you want to feel flattered or offended. Though I'm not sure you're able to feel either of those  _advanced_ emotions, seeing how incredibly small your brain capacity is."

 

Lance snorted and shoved Keith, who playfully shoved Lance back, knocking him into the deeper water of the pool. When Lance came up out of the water, he coughed and shook the water from his hair. Keith was laughing at him. Without thinking, he reached up and snagged Keith's arm, yanking him into the water as well. Keith's face turned to shock as he fell forward, face-first into the water. When he emerged, his wet, shaggy hair was in his eyes, and he had to run his hands over his head and pull his hair back out of his face in order to see. They both grinned like fools, laughing at one another. Lance had never gotten a chance to actually see Keith's face like this, the view unobstructed by his coal, black hair. Keith had dark eyes, and jagged cheekbones. His appearance seemed rough around the edges, but in an exciting and curious way. His lips were small, but he made them look beautiful. 

 

Lance mentally scolded himself. Did he really just think of his friend's lips as beautiful? He couldn't be doing that. He needed to keep his feelings under control until he had an idea of what to do about them and how to deal with them. Nobody, other than himself and Allura, needed to know about these feelings that he had for Keith. And if he kept doing stupid things like staring at Keith's stunning, toned stomach, or his perfect, kissable lips, or his-

 

_Stop!_ He swallowed hard and blinked several times, clearing his thoughts. No more thoughts about Keith. Not like this. Not right now.

 

"Hey, I'm going to head to the locker room that's attached to the pool so I can clean up. Want to come?"

 

Lance's  jaw dropped. Keith was inviting him to shower? Granted, the locker rooms had a communal style shower situation, with several shower heads, and the bathers were of course expected to keep their swimwear on- but still. Keith was inviting Lance to shower with him. Every fiber of Lance's being screamed at him not to do it. Surely, somehow, his feelings for Keith were going to be revealed if he continued to spend time alone with him. It was inevitable. He couldn't be doing things like showering with him.

 

Despite his brain telling him no, his mouth had ideas of its own.

 

"Sure, I'd love to."

 

_Why couldn't he just say no like any other person?_


	6. Water Vapors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Keith invited Lance to join him in the locker room, there is some storytelling and some learning. Also bonding. ESPECIALLY bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I began writing this chapter the second I finished the previous one. I'm really motivated right now and I hope everyone is enjoying the story! Comments and kudos warm my heart! Thank you for reading and supporting my work!

The hairs on Lance's arm prickled up as the shower turned on. His hand shivered on the sleek, metal faucet that, of course, had a light in the center that radiated a blue glow. _Alteans_. How did he allow himself to do this? Why did he let Keith bring him into the locker room to clean up? Keith had already turned his shower on, and he reached a slender arm out, testing the water temperature with his lithe fingers. Lance watched Keith's bicep muscles subtly reveal themselves as the boy leaned his arm out. After apparently determining that the water was the right temperature for him, Keith stepped forward, allowing the water from the shower head to pour over him, dousing him with clean water. 

 

Lance tore his eyes from the other paladin's body. He knew he shouldn't be here. He was going to do something he was going he would regret, he was certain of it. But his eyes felt drawn to Keith's body like a magnet. Lance reached for the faucet, turning his own shower on. He waited several moments before stepping into the stream of water, giving the shower time to heat up. He closed his eyes, forced Keith from his thoughts, and focused instead on the surge of water that cascaded over him. The water from both showers was more than warm enough to produce some steam, which Lance could feel tingle in his nose when he breathed in. 

 

The steam whirled around them both, a blanket of warmth. The steam radiated through the shower area, leaving the room in a light fog. Though Lance had his eyes closed, he could somehow sense that there was a steamy mist surrounding them. Lance felt a finger press to his back, and his breathing hitched and his eyes snapped open.

 

"How'd you get this scar?" Keith questioned, tracing the raised skin on Lance's back. Goosebumps sprang up on Lance's arms at the other boys touch. "I got it when I was young", he answered, trying to sound nonchalant. "How?" Keith asked. 

 

"Well, when I was really young, some friends and I had decided to climb this huge oak tree that was in my backyard. I wasn't really a fan of the idea, but I didn't want to look like a chicken in front of my friends. We all scaled the tree, and were hanging out at the top when one of my friends grabbed my arm to get my attention; he wanted to show me a bird or something that he saw. Anyway, when he snagged my arm, I leaned away from him, and lost my balance. I fell from the tree and hit the ground hard on my back. A stick went straight up into my back. That's how I got the scar."

 

Lance looked over his shoulder at Keith, whose finger was still on Lance's back. He ran his slender finger over the scar, feeling the ridges where the scar was more prominent and feeling the dips and curves in the skin underneath the dark mark. "At least you got it from being adventurous", Keith replied, looking up to meet Lance's gaze. "Yeah, I suppose so", Lance answered, turning back around and pressing his face into the stream of warm water. He could feel Keith's eyes still surveying his back, despite not being able to see him doing so. 

 

He felt a finger press to the small of his back, and he flinched slightly at the unexpected touch. "What about this one?"

 

Lance kept his eyes closed, remaining under the stream of water as he spoke. "I got it in an accident at the Galaxy Garrison with Pidge and Hunk."

 

"You got hurt under Pidge's watch?" Keith inquired, sounding concerned. "But Pidge is so careful. She makes sure that nobody ever gets hurt."

 

Lance nodded. "Yeah, well she still feels bad about what happened."

 

Keith pressed, "So what happened?"

 

"When we were all assigned to the same team in the Galaxy Garrison, Hunk wouldn't shut up about how hungry he was one night, and I decided to hit Pidge up to see if she could find a way to sneak me into the kitchen to get some food. After some quick research and planning, she decided that the air vents provided the most stealthy access into the kitchen, and that they were strong enough to hold my weight. 

 

"Once it was late at night and the guard patrol in the halls had thinned out to only two or three on duty, Pidge snuck me into one of the vents. She had given me an ear piece so I could listen to her and she could walk me through the complex network of vents. I had a tiny mic too, so I could communicate any road blocks in the plan. Navigating the vents was a breeze. Within no time I had made it to the vents that were in the kitchen. I found a vent opening, and had begun to unscrew the vent cover when it happened.

 

"A portion of the vent broke off entirely from the ceiling, and detached from the other vents. It threw me from the dark vent and into the kitchen. Falling fourteen feet is already a bit of a trip, but falling fourteen feet on your back straight into a sink spigot is entirely different. I landed on the counter, and the tall pipe that produced the water in the sink collided with my lower back. It never healed up properly, and Pidge never really forgave herself for her miscalculations. She had been so sure that the vents could hold my weight. She went back and double, triple, and quadruple checked her math, scanning vigorously for any errors. She never found any, but she still blames herself."

  
  
Keith nodded. "Sounds like Pidge."

 

"What about you?" Lance asked.

 

"What about me?"

 

"Do you have any scar stories?"

 

Keith hesitated, thinking. "Yeah, but most of mine aren't exactly action packed."

 

"Explain."

 

"Well, I got this one in a training accident at the Garrison. I got this one while practicing combat with the Blade of Marmora. I got this one while running from a planet that was in the process of swallowing itself."

 

"Not exactly action packed?" Lance repeated, snorting.

 

Keith rolled his eyes and smiled. "Ok, so maybe they're a  _little_ action packed."

 

 "A  _little?"_ Lance laughed, turning around to face Keith, allowing the shower of water to race down his back. Keith's hair was wet and slicked back so that all of his face was visible. It wasn't very often that Lance ever saw all of Keith's face at once, so he was devoted to committing this sight to memory. "What, why are you giving me that look?" Keith questioned, smirking.

 

"I never get to see your face with that emo hair of yours, so I'm taking this time to see what you actually look like." Keith shoved Lance playfully, and Lance grinned. This was nowhere near as weird as he thought it was going to b. Heck, he was actually enjoying himself. "Ok, so what about this one?" Lance asked, pressing his fingers to a blotchy scar on Keith's chest. He could feel Keith's solid chest muscles underneath the scar. "Got it in an altercation with a beautiful girl back on earth."

 

Lance raised a brow "Oh?"

 

"Yeah, she didn't take very kindly to having a knife pulled on her when she tried to snag my wallet from my back pocket." Keith grinned from ear to ear and they both shared a laugh. 

 

"And this one?" Lance pressed two fingers to a scar on Keith's hip bone. The scar was pale in colour, which was somehow lighter than Keith's already pale skin. "I got that one by my own stupidity. Accidentally jabbed myself with my own knife."

 

Lance scoffed. "You? Hurting yourself on accident?" He proclaimed sarcastically, jokingly placing a hand to his chest in mock surprise. "Shut up" Keith retorted, still smiling widely.

 

Keith leaned forward and turned Lance's shower off, leaving the room in quaint silence. His body pressed against Keith's as he reached for the dial, though he didn't seem to care. They stood there for a minute, just looking at each other in the foggy silence, taking in each other's bodies and presence. Lance could hear his heart racing in his ears as his eyes met his friends'. Keith's eyes were a lovely shade of dark grey. They looked beautiful when paired with the sharp jawline that nobody ever got to see because of his hair. 

 

When they finally separated, Lance felt a different sort of attraction to the paladin. This was more than just a dainty little crush; this was a really serious attraction. 

 

_Quiznak._


	7. Lights Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Lance and Keith are finishing cleaning up in the locker room, the power goes out. Together, they struggle to find their way out of the room
> 
> Trigger Warning: mild blood and injury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so for the first time in quite a while, I am actually really motivated and excited to add chapters to this work. I really love how its coming along, and I'd love to hear what you guys think.
> 
> Comments and kudos are much appreciated, thank you for reading and supporting my work!

Lance strode over to the sink while Keith went and retrieved his shirt from the pool side where he had left it. Lance exhaled deeply and looked into the foggy mirror, leaning on the sink with his palms. He pressed his forehead to the cool glass of the mirror, and sighed. Keith was wonderful. He was brave, intelligent, agile, and attractive. Despite trying to repress his feelings, Lance could feel it in his stomach whenever he saw Keith; a dizzy feeling that made him unbalanced and forced his head to spin like a top. His palms would sweat whenever Keith sat particularly close to him during breaks in training, and his muscles would tense whenever his and Keith's arms would touch whenever they were venturing into a abnormally tight space during a mission.

 

Lance removed his head from the mirror, snagging a tower from the towel warmer by the sink, and rubbed it across the mirror, ridding it of the condensation. Now, able to see his reflection unobstructed in the mirror, he noted his features. He felt so inferior compared to Keith. He didn't have the looks, or the athleticism, or the superior intellect. Keith was towering over him in terms of his accomplishments. 

 

He felt a painful stab into his ribs as he realized something.  _Maybe Lance doesn't need me. Maybe he deserves better_. He shook his head, sending water droplets flinging from his soaked hair. No, that wasn't true. He  _was_ good enough for Keith.He  _had_ to be.

 

Lance looked up as the locker room door glided open and Keith strode in, holding his shirt up like a trophy. "Got it" he chimed, grinning. Lance beamed back;  _wow_ , Keith's smile was spectacular. It was more than just his blindingly bright teeth, too. It was the way his thin lips spread to bear his smile. Keith's lips were small, and his top lip was smaller than most, but Lance was still entranced by them. He hated to remind himself of all the times he had envisioned those nice, warm lips on his own. . .

 

_**C L A N K !** _

 

The castle lurched violently, sending both paladins flying to the floor. The lights flickered out as the ship shook wildly. The ship finally stilled after perhaps thirty seconds. The locker room was dark, but Lance and Keith's heavy breathing filled the air, along with the concerned vibes that they both gave off. 

 

" _Quiznak!_ Lance, are you alright?" Keith shouted, shuffling around the floor in the darkness.

 

"I don't know, my hand hurts bad" Lance responded, trying to gauge where his friend's voice was coming from.

 

"Any idea where you are in the room? I feel the lockers, and I think I'm still near the door."

 

Lance fumbled around on hands and knees, feeling for something that would give an indication of where he may be. "I think the ground is wet. Maybe I'm near the showers?"

 

"No, that doesn't make sense. You were at the sinks when I walked in. The showers are across the room from you."

 

Keith huffed, and Lance could hear him haul himself to his feet and groan. Keith rubbed the back of his neck, wincing. "Wonder what happened."

 

"Some space debris probably collided with the ship. No big deal. Pidge should have the power back on in no time. If it were an attack, we'd know already."

 

Keith began feeling around, holding his arms out in front of him, grasping at the darkness. "I'm going to see if I can find you, Lance."

 

"Alright."

 

"Just stay where you are, otherwise we'll end up walking by each other and not even knowing it."

 

Lance nodded, though he knew Keith couldn't see him. Lance winced and wiggled his wrist, which was tingling with hot pain. He yawned, surprising himself. How could he be yawning in a time like this? Now was certainly not the time for a nap.

 

"Lance? Talk to me. I think I can follow the sound of your voice."

 

"What do you want me to say?"

 

"I don't know. Just- say something."

 

Lance cleared his throat. "Well, since you have no preferences, I might as well serenade you."

 

Keith snorted. "Hah! Serenade me? The day you are able to successfully serenade someone will be the day I die."

 

Lance rolled his eyes. "Fine, if singing isn't your thing, then perhaps poetry."

 

"You're a dork."

 

"Thank you." Lance cleared his throat again, and began. "Your lion is red. My lion is blue. I really want a bagel, and some apple juice too."

 

"You are such a waste of space", Keith joked, chuckling.

 

"Aww, that's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me!" Lance gushed, before breaking into laughter, then coughing. He was extremely dizzy. He told himself it was probably from being flung across the room when the ship jolted. A warm hand ruffled his cool, damp hair, and he smiled.

 

"Found you."

 

There was a dull hum, and the ship lights slowly flickered back on, and the intercom came to life as Pidge's voice rang across the speaker. "Sorry for the quick power outage everyone; seems like an asteroid of sorts collided with the left-side wing of the ship, knocking us out of whack and causing the generators to conk out. Everything's back up now."

 

Keith breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god, for a second there I was a little worried that-", Keith turned to look at Lance, and his jaw dropped. Lance lay unconscious on the floor, blood seeping from his sliced palm. 

 

"Oh, quiznak. . .", Keith muttered, picking Lance up off the floor, his head hanging limply. His chest rose and fell slowly; too slowly. Keith stood quickly, and broke into a sprint, carrying Lance's unconscious body in his arms, making a bee line for the infirmary. "I need help!", he shouted as he entered the hallways of the ship.

 

_'Don't worry Lance, I'll make sure you're okay '_ Keith thought to himself, his footsteps the only sounds in the silent halls, save for the constant hum of the ship. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance wakes up in the infirmary, and something happens that changes Lance and Keith's friendship forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I am a little unhappy with how this ending turned out, so I would love to hear some feedback on how it turned out. No matter how many times I rewrote and planned and replanned this chapter, I just couldn't get the exact feeling I was going for. Heck, I would love to hear feedback on the WHOLE story to be honest. All constructive criticism and positive comments are greatly appreciated. Leave a kudos if you enjoyed. Thank you for reading and supporting my work!

Lance groaned as he forced his eyes open. His head was killing him, and he winced at the bright blue light that surrounded him as he struggled to remember what had happened. He was in a very enclosed space. An infirmary pod? It had to be. But why?

 

He willed himself to recall what had happened. The ship had lost power, he remembered that much, but what had happened after that. He was yanked from his thoughts as the door to the pod opened. When the pod door glided away, he stumbled forward, tripping out of the pod. He fell against someone's chest and arms wrapped around him, holding him steady.

 

"I gotcha", the familiar voice responded, and Lance immediately felt safe. He no longer felt confused or lost. He was with Keith, and that was enough to make him feel alright. But still, he found himself curious as to what had happened. As if Keith had read his mind, he spoke, "You took quite a tumble when the ship lost power. You must've hurt your palm pretty bad when you fell. It was cut up pretty bad. By the time I got you here and patched it up, you were passed out."

 

"How long ago was that?"

 

Keith tilted his head, looking off as he thought about it. "Not too long ago. Maybe 5 or 6 hours?" He walked his injured friend over to the stairs leading down from the infirmary platform, and they both sat down on the steps, Lance leaning on Keith for support. They sat together for a long time, neither of them saying anything, as though the silence were fragile and would be shattered by even a whisper. As always, the ship could be heard humming dully, and every now and then another paladin's voice could be heard from a nearby room. They could hear Hunk singing to himself in the kitchen, two rooms away, and at one point Shiro and Pidge could be heard conversing as they walked through the hallway just outside of the infirmary. 

 

Lance lifted his head from his friend's shoulder, looking up at Keith's face. His eyes were focused somewhere else in the room, and Lance could tell he had something on his mind. "What are you thinking about."

 

"You", Keith answered, and his face instantly turned red and he started stuttering, his eyes darting around. "I mean, I uh- what I meant is-"

 

"It's okay", Lance interrupted, "I'm thinking about you too."

 

Keith's blush remained, but he smiled awkwardly, a little relieved. "What are you thinking about me?" Lance asked, leaning on Keith's shoulder again.

 

"Well, just thinking about how even when I don't understand your jokes, they can still make me laugh. How having you around is comforting, even if you don't say anything. Your eyes are beautiful, your voice sounds so nice, and your face is just-", Keith's eyes met Lance's, "perfect."

 

Lance grinned, and looked down, shuffling his feet on the metal floor. "You don't mean all that. You're just saying that in case I gave myself some sort of internal bleeding when I fell during the power outage. You wouldn't want me to die thinking badly of you. 

 

Keith rolled his eyes, but then regained his composure. "I'm serious. I care about you more than anything."

 

Lance continued to smile. "I know, you're my best friend."

 

"And that's all we are? Friends?"

 

Lance's smile vanished and was replaced with an open mouthed look of surprise. "Uh- well, I guess maybe I've thought about us being  _more_ than friends maybe once or twice but-"

 

Lance met Keith's gaze and his face turned a deep shade of red. "Sorry, it's just that I-"

 

He stopped, biting his lip and shifting uncomfortably. Keith was looking at him expectantly. "You what?"

 

"I think I might. . .have a crush. On you", Lance finished, immediately looking away from Keith. His heart was racing, and he could feel cold sweat dripping in an unsteady line down the back of his neck. He felt lightheaded.

 

Keith chuckled. " _You_ have a crush on  _me_?"

 

Lance felt ashamed. Of course his friend was going to think it was stupid. What had he been expecting? For Keith to reciprocate his feelings? That was a ridiculous thought, Lance couldn't believe he has actually allowed himself to think that it was true. "Yeah", he answered quietly.  _Stupid._ How had he let himself be so stupid and naive? How was he going to be able to live with this now? Keith would never think of him the same way now. He had ruined their friendship. Maybe more than their friendship, he could've just ruined their team.

 

Lance's eyes sprang open as Keith's lips suddenly met his own. His lips were warm, and fit perfectly against his own lips. It felt like his heart was tangled in his throat, and the universe around them had stopped. Keith's lips moved gently against his own, urging him to return the favor. Lance was pulled from his shock, as he kissed the red paladin in return, feeling chills galloping through his veins. He closed his eyes, focusing on the intense feelings that the kiss gave to him. He could feel the built up excitement behind this kiss. The way Keith was kissing him. . .Keith had to have wanted this. This wasn't a joke. This was for real. Keith was  _really_ kissing him and he  _really_ meant it.

 

When their lips parted, they spent a minute or so just watching each other, each of them gauging the other's reaction to the prolonged kiss. Keith was the first to break the silence. "I think I have a crush on you too."

 

Lance beamed, a wide grin that showed his white teeth. Keith smiled back. Lance leaned forward, resting his forehead on Keith's. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear you say that."

 

"Me too", Keith replied.

 

_Me too_.

 


End file.
